Cigarette Beetle (or possibly a Drugstore Beetle)

Natural Habitat

Typically found indoors infesting stored dried plant or animal products. Commonly found in pantries, warehouses, museums, and herbariums. They thrive in warm, humid environments.

Diet & Feeding

They feed on a vast variety of dried organic materials including tobacco (hence the name), dried pet food, spices, flour, dried fruit, books, leather, herbal medicines, and even wreaths.

Behavior Patterns

Adults can fly and are attracted to light, often seen near windows. The larvae do the damage by burrowing into stored food. They are known for 'playing dead' when disturbed (thigmotaxis).

Risks & Benefits

Risks: They are significant pantry pests that contaminate and spoil food products. They do not bite or sting humans, though large infestations can be an annoyance and cause economic loss. Benefits: None in a domestic setting; they are primarily considered pests.

Identified on: 2/8/2026